Records of Dennis Lanahan in Augusta County, VA

Vol. 2 - 1785 - page 8, Dennis Lanachan and Margaret, his wife, late Cravens, executrix of John Cravens. (Note: records show Margaret married Dennis Lanachan after John Cravens died in 1778).

Vol. 2 - Cravens vs. Lanahan--O. S. 291; N. S. 103--Bill by William, Joseph, James Cravens, Peggy (Cravens), wife of Joseph Snap, children of John Cravens, who died 25th July, 1778, intestate, leaving widow Margaret and seven children, viz: Mary, Hannah, Robert, William, Joseph, James and Peggy. Administration was granted to widow and Robert Cravens, brother of John. Margaret married Dennis Lanahan. Robert Cravens, Jr., came of age about fall of 1785. He was 14 years old at death of his father, and died 10th December, 1793, intestate, unmarried and without issue. Dennis made his will, giving a legacy to his brother Timothy. Dennis and Margaret were married 20th March, 1782. William Cravens was born 20th April, 1764; Joseph, 20th May, 1769; James, 12th April, 1773; Margaret, 26th August, 1775. Dennis says his nephew came in from Ireland, which caused him to alter his will. Robert Cravens, Sr., was seldom at home during the Revolution. William Cravens was Dennis's apprentice as mason. James was put to brickmaking in Staunton, but was afterwards taken to Kentucky by a relation and never returned. Administration on estate of Robert Cravens granted in Rockingham, 27th April, 1784, to Hester Cravens, the widow, and Benj. Smith, 13th September, 1816. John Ewing, aged 76 or 77 years, deposes, Wm. Herron was school teacher in 1784, 85, 86. 13th September, 1816, Phebe Ewing, aged 68, deposes. 13th September, 1816, Mary Pence, daughter of John and Phebe Ewing, aged 42 years. Her uncle, Davison. 13th September, 1816, George Argabright, aged 60, deposes. 13th September, 1816, John Hemphill, aged 57 years, was raised about 2 miles from Cravens. Robert Cravens went on McIntoshes' campaign. John is cousin of plaintiff. Hannah Cravens was married June, 1779. Mary was married same year. Mathew Boyers was a school teacher. 13th September, 1816, Col. George Huston, aged 59 years, deposes. 13th September, 1816, Samuel McWilliams, aged 50 years, deposes, he taught school in Harrisonburg in 1787. Price was 40 sh. a year. James Cravens was his pupil. Lanahan built the Clerk's office in Pendleton about 1792. 13th September, 1816, Michael Kinser, aged 51, deposes, in 1784, when 19 years old, lived with Lanahan to learn mason's trade. 13th September, 1816, Christian Dedimer, aged 60, deposes, has lived within 2 miles of Craven's plantation for 36 or 37 years. 13th September, 1816, William Blain, aged, 54, deposes. 13th September, 1816, Joseph Birely, aged 51, deposes, his father moved to his present residence in 1784, about 1 mile from Cravens's residence. Peggy Cravens was married 1794 or 1795. 13th September, 1816, John Birely, aged 46 or 47, deposes, brother of Joseph. 13th September, 1816, Michael Dick, aged 58 years, was raised in this country. 13th September, 1816, Samuel Chandler, aged 45, deposeth, "before the arrival of Lanahan's friends (relations) from Ireland." 13th September, 1816, Elliott Rutherford, aged 46, about 28 or 29 years ago he went to school with William Cravens to one _____ Jamison, a teacher in Harrisonburg. Wm. came to school in company with Jeremiah Cravens, Wm. Cravens, son of Robert Cravens, and Dicky Dictum. 13th September, 1816, Henry I. Gambill, aged 39 years, deposes, he came to Harrisonburg in 1793. 13th September, 1816, David Laird, aged 73 years, deposes, he came to this country about 1755 or 1756. He boarded Mr. Hopkin's daughter about 1785-6-7 for nothing because she was a relation. 20th September, 1816, Bethuel Herring, aged 62 or 63 years. (It seems to have been the custom for persons near the school to board children attending school.) 20th September, 1816, Margaret Graham, aged 45 years, deposes, she was married October, 1790, and came to Harrisonburg immediately after. Her husband kept a store. Lanahan's trouble was that he frequented the billiard table too much. 20th September, 1816, Alexander Herring, aged 50 years, he went to school to Michael Mullen, who taught at a place called Fisher's Spring. Joseph and James Cravens went at same time. Joseph Bywaters aged 33 years, deposes, Dennis Lanahan had a nephew, Thomas Lanahan. 21st September, 1816, Thomas Scott, aged 70 years, deposes, Lanahan built Scot's house in 1787. 21st September, 1816, Dr. Peachy Harrison, aged 38 years, deposes, he went to the school at Fisher's Spring with Joseph and James Cravens to Mathew Bowyers. He started to school at age 4. The two Cravens boys went alternately so as to make one scholar between them. 21st September, 1816, James Kile, aged 56, deposes. 18th September, 1816, John Brock, aged 63, deposes.

Information on Dennis Lanahan

From "Settlers by the Long Grey Trail: some Pioneers to Old Augusta County", by John Houston Harrison, pg. 247:

Dennis Lanahan was the 3rd husband of Margaret, nee Hiatt, who married first, William Dyer, and second, John Cravens, son of Robert, Sr....

Dennis Lanahan was an Irishman. He was a brickmaker, stonemason, and, what would be called today, a general contractor. He built many of the first houses of the town, and in his later life kept one of the first taverns therein.